Package facilitating assembly of connector elements onto cable



May 13, 1969 P. J. FELTY, JR, ET

PACKAGE FACILITATING ASSEMBLY OF CONNECTOR ELEMENTS ONTO CABLE Filed April 17, 1968 INVENTOR- PAUL JOHU FELTY, oz HERBBGT RQSEN2CN May 13, 1969 p J FELTY, JR" ET AL 3,443,683

PACKAGE FACILITATING ASSEMBLY OF CONNECTOR ELEMENTS ONTO CABLE Sheet of 6 Filed April 17, 1968 INVENTOR.

PAUL JOHN FEL Y. J 2, msnasozv aosewcnen May'13, 1969 P, FELTY, JR ET AL 3,443,683

CTOR ELEMENTS ONTO CABLE PACKAGE FACILITATING ASSEMBLY OF CONNE Filed April 17, 1968 Sheet INVENTO Y. PM. Jun Fan-Y, JQ. HEREIN-r -Ro5E-GReN May 13, 1969 p, y FELTY, JR" ET AL PACKAGE FACILITATING ASSEMBLY OF CONNECTOR ELEMENTS ONTO CABLE Shet 4 of Filed April 17, 1968 INVENTOR. PAUL JOHP FELTYJR. HERBELT Rosthgzerv May 13, 1969 p, FELTY, JR ET AL 3,443,683

PACKAGE FACILITATING ASSEMBLY OF CONNECTOR ELEMENTS ONTO CABLE Filed April 17, 1968 Sheet 5 of 6 l I I mveuroa PAUL JON remand Hansen! Rosa-sac May 13, 1969 p LT JR ET AL 3,443,683

PACKAGE FACILITATING ASSEMBLY OF CONNECTOR ELEMENTS ONTO CABLE Filed April 17, 1968 Sheet 6 of 6 INVENTOR.

uszeear eosemsaeu PAUL 4mm FELT'Y. J2.

United States Patent US. Cl. 206-56 20 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A package for coaxial connectors is disclosed which features a thin, transparent covering encapsulating a series of coaxial connectors, each comprised of a number of elements properly arranged in the package for installation onto coaxial cableQ Sheets comprising the covering are formed to extend over the connectors in a manner to facilitate cable insertion into connector elements. The sheets are arranged to permit reeling and the sheet material is indented to facilitate removal of one or a number of connectors from the package. The sheets are sealed to protect each connector and each package portion containing a connector assembly includes indentations facilitating removal of a portion of, the package to insert a coaxial cable within a connector in proper position within the package. The arrangement of elements within a package is made to facilitate crimping of the connector onto a cable without having to physically handle any of the elements of the connector.

Background of invention A typical high performance coaxial connector is comprised of precision formed metal and dielectric elements which must be accurately and carefully assembled onto a coaxial cablein a precise relationship to obtain proper mechanical and electrical performance. At least certain of the metal elements usually are plated to a rather close tolerance with precious metal to enhance electrical performance by inhibiting surface oxides and for general appearance. Each of the plug and jack halves of a precision connector may include five or six individual elements. Each half may,for example, include a center contact member, a connector body and outer conductive shell, one or more dielectric members which mount the center pin in the shell, a nut or outer mechanical fitting and some means for mechanically and electrically terminating the cable outer conductor to the body, such as a wedge ring assembly or crimping ferrule. Each connector half may further include one or more sealing gaskets. With precision connectors, all of these elements must be exactly positioned and the elements forming the coaxial signal path must be maintained to a particularly close tolerance in a radial andaxia-l sense relative to each other to avoid impedance mismatch and discontinuities resulting in a signal reflection. In accordance with present practice connectors are frequently packaged with the various elements for each half in loose piece fonn placed in a separate envelope. Many such envelopes are not air-tight and it is not unusual to find costly assemblies heavily oxidized even before sale or use.

In use, the typical prior art connector package is first opened with the various loose-piece elements sorted out and then manually pushed up, placed and held in proper position on a stripped coaxial cable. With a typical crimp type connector half assembly, the outer crimping ferrule is usually placed on first with the connector body then positioned with the sleeve extention thereof worked under the braid and the dielectric material sheath of the cable worked within the shell so that the center conductor is ice extended into the center contact member. The center contact member may either be loose-piece or afiixed within a dielectric insert of the connector half and it usually includes an aperture to permit viewing of the center conductor inserted therein. In many available connectors the mechanical fitting, such as a nut or bayonet fitting is carried on the connector shell. In other devices these elements are separately fitted on prior to insertion of the cable into the connector. With these various elements properly positioned on the cable the outer ferrule is then worked up over the outer conductor of the cable and crimped inwardly to permanently terminate the cable to the connector. Either before or after this step a crimp may by applied to the center contact member to crimp the material thereof permanently to the center conductor of the cable. With noncrimp assemblies the center contact is usually soldered to the center conductor of the cable with a wedge ring or clamp structure then being applied to the rear end of the connector to terminate the outer conductor to the shell of the connector. With both solder type or crimp type connectors failure to place certain of the elements on before a given element is soldered or crimped or otherwise afiixed to the cable may mean that certain of the additional elements cannot be properly p0si tioned on the assembly. For example, if the outer crimping ferrule is not placed on the cable "before the center contact member is crimped, there is with most designs, no practical way to remedy this error and the connector must be severed from the cable and discarded with a fresh assembly used with a newly prepared end of the cable.

As a most important consideration, the foregoing type of packaging of connector elements contributes considerably to the cost of termination and such is attributable solely to the requirement for physically handling numerous small elements and the time taken to accurately arrange and position such parts relative to the elements of the cable.

Summary of the invention This invention relates to a method and means for providing a more rapid and reliable termination of electrical connectors to electrical leads.

It is an object of the invention to provide a method and means which minimizes the need to physically handle the several elements of electrical connectors. It is another object to provide a method and means to provide a more rapid and reliable termination of coaxial cable to coaxial connectors of the type comprised of a number of distinct elements. It is still another object to provide a protective package for connectors and the like which positions the elements of such connectors in a proper manner for use and installation onto electrical conductors.

The foregoing objects are attained by the present invention in one embodiment through the use of a package comprised of thin sheets of transparent plastic material which are formed to receive the elements of one or both halves of a connector assembly and hold such elements in a position which facilitates the insertion of a prestripped lead into the elements as contained within the package. The package includes tear strips facilitating a sealing of the elements until such time as the tear strips are removed to provide access and insertion of a conductive lead into the elements. The sheet material is made sufficiently flexible and is indented to permit a series of packaged connector assemblies to be reeled for handling, storage, machine feeding and individual or multiple separation. In one embodiment the plastic material is sufliciently thin and of proper characteristics to permit termination of the inner and outer conductors of a cable as fitted within the elements of a connector as by crimping through at least a portion of the package.

In such embodiment the connector elements are positioned toward one side or edge of the package to provide access to crimping dies without interference by the body of the package. In another embodiment the package is comprised of a sheet of paper or the like pre-cut to receive and position the connector elements vw'th their transparent sheets of plastic vacuum formed thereover. The several embodiments include holes disposed along the package sides to facilitate machine processing.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective of a series of coaxial connectors packaged in accordance with the invention with part of the package being shown as disposed on a reel;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view somewhat enlarged of a portion of the package containing a connector assembly as shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end-on view of the package shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a side view of the package shown in FIGURES 2 and 3;

FIGURE 5 is an end-on view of the package shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, with tabs to remove to provide access to elements in the package for insertion of a stripped coaxial lead therein;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view showing a connector assembly carried in a package with the tabs of the package removed and with a stripped coaxial lead positioned for insertion into the connector assembly;

FIGURE 7 is a view of the structure shown in FIG- URE 6 with the lead inserted in the connector assembly;

FIGURE 8 is a view of the structure shown in FIG- URES 6 and 7 with dies being applied through the package to terminate the center contact element to the center conductor of the cable;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of a package containing an assembly of coaxial connector parts in an alternative embodiment;

FIGURE 10 is a view of the assembly and package shown in FIGURE 9 with a coaxial lead inserted therein;

FIGURE 11 is a view of the assembly of FIGURE 10 with a portion of the package removed to provide access for crimping of the connector center contact member and outer ferrule to terminate the lead to the connector assembly;

FIGURE 12 is a view showing the structure of FIG- URE 11 with dies being applied to the center pin and outer ferrule of the assembly to terminate the connector to the cable;

FIGURES 13 and 14 are plan and perspective views, respectively, of an alternative package embodiment;

FIGURES 15 and 16 are perspective views showing a use of the package of FIGURES 13 and 14; and

FIGURES 17 and 18 show schematically uses of the invention package in a machine application of leads to connectors.

Description of preferred embodiment Before turning to a detailed description of the invention, reference is made to US. Patent No. 3,297,979 to M. F. OKeefe et al., granted J an. 10, 1967, for a teaching of the construction of a connector like that to be described and of its termination to coaxial cable. In brief summary the connector shown in the OKeefe et al. patent is comprised of an assembly including an outer conductive shell having a pair of dielectric inserts fitted therein to captivate a center contact pin member and hold such pin member within the shell. The assembly further includes an interiorly threaded nut member which, in use, fits over the threading of a receptacle to hold the con nector in engagement therewith. A crimpa'ble ferrule is provided which fits over the rear of the shell and is crimped inwardly to terminate the outer conductor of the cable to the connector. The center conductor of the cable is extended within the pin and the forward end of the pin is crimped inwardly to terminate the center con- 4 ductor of the cable thereto. The general arrangement of elements depicted in the OKeefe patent is found in other types of connectors including connectors which are not crimped onto a cable, but rather are soldered thereto or attached in some other fashion. Connectors of the general type are utilized to terminate coaxial cable wherein there is a need to accommodate signals having an appreciable frequency or frequency component. When signals have an appreciable frequency or contain components of an appreciable frequency, as in the case under certain high speed pulse applications, impedance matching of the connector to the cable is of considerable importance to the electrical performance of the device. In large part, mismatch and signal reflection is due to physical -discontinuities affecting the spacing and position of inner and outer conductor surfaces of the device. For this reason it is important to maintain the various elements in a precisely controlled physical position.

Turning now to FIGURE 1, the symbol R represents a reel of connector assemblies carried by a package P. As can be discerned, the connector assemblies are connector halves. The connector assemblies shown as 10 in FIGURE 1 are held in P in a side-by-side relationship, spaced apart and positioned in P to facilitate reeling and to provide an adjacent area of package for individual handling. The package P includes a series of holes H along each side to facilitate machine handling. FIGURE 2 shows each assembly 10 to be comprised of a connector shell 12 having a rear extension 14 and a forward threaded portion 16. A center pin contact member 18 is provided for each assembly and may be considered as positioned within a dielectric insert within shell 12. Each assembly includes a nut member shown as 20 which is interiorly threaded to mate with 16 and to mate with the threading of either a receptacle or the threading on a mating connector half. A malleable ferrule 22 is provided which in application to a cable is fitted over the outer conductor of a cable and over the sleeve 14 to be crimped inwardly thereagainst. The arrangement of elements is as shown in FIGURE 2, with the ferrule positioned to the right proximate the edge of the package P and with the pin 18 positioned to the left proximate to the left edge of package P. From FIGURES 2 and 3 it may be discerned that the package P as shown in FIGURE 1 is divided into subpackages defined by indentations I along the joined edges of the package. These indentations permit one or more of the subpackages to be readily removed from the reel of packages and also facilitate handling of a single assembly at a time. The series of index holes H are provided along the sides of P to accommodate sprocket teeth of a feed mechanism which may be used either in production of the package or in use with application tooling.

Each subpackage is comprised of two sheets of transparent plastic material shown as S1 and S2 in FIGURE 3. The two sheets include tab portions T, as shown in FIGURE 2, which extend out from the right side to provide access to the interior of the package. The lower sheet S1 is preferably more rigid than the upper sheet S2 and is vacuum formed to provide recesses for each of the elements of the assembly 10. The various elements of the assembly 10 are then placed in the recesses or pockets defined by the configuration of the recesses of S1 with the sheet S2 then being vacuum formed thereover. The body of the elements is made to include an access volume extending between the left end of 22 and the right end of the nut 20 and between the left end of the nut 20 and the larger diameter of -12 to provide a clearance for the insertion of the cable within the package in the manner to be described. Connector assembly 10 is sealed within the package by a bond between S1 and S2 extending in the manner indicated in FIGURE 2 along the dotted line B. This bond may be made in any suitable fashion as by the selective application of heat to the package or by adhesive deposited on one of the sheets S1 and S2 prior to the lamination.

As an alternative it is also contemplated that each of the sheets S1 and S2 may be vacuum formed into an appropriate configuration in strip form with the assembly of elements being properly positioned in one of said sheets and the other sheet then being brought down and sealed against the sheet containing the assembly of elements. The arrangement of elements and the position therebetween in conjunction with the configuration of elements and the need to establish interior volumes between the sheets will somewhat determine which of the foregoing procedures is preferable. In either event at least one of the sheets is preferably transparent so that the assembly of elements may be readily observed through the sheets. As mentioned, the composite formed by the sheets containing an assembly of elements should have characteristics permitting reeling of the strip of subpackages in the manner depicted in FIGURE 1. In one actual embodiment sheets S1 and S2 were vacuum formed to the configuration shown of a material identified as 0.005 of an inch polyvinyl chloride in rigid sheet form bonded together by adhesive.

The tabs T as shown in FIGURE 2 are separated at the outside end as indicated by the dotted line to facilitate an opening of the package by peeling the tabs therefrom in the manner shown in FIGURE 5. If the sheet material is of a thin stiff plastic such as polyvinyl chloride the configuration and edge of ferrule 22 may be sufficient to assure tearing of the material without indentation in the region of the tab. If the material is more elastic indentations extending about the right end of the package around the end of the ferrule 22 may be provided to facilitate removal of the tabs.

FIGURE 6 shows an assembly 10 in a package having the tabs removed with a coaxial cable prepared by axially stripping segments thereof positioned for entry into the assembly of elements. The cable shown as 30 includes a center conductor 32 surrounded by a dielectric sheath 34, an outer conductor 36 and an outer protective sheath 38. In a typical cable construction the outer conductor 36 is a braid of fine wires. In accordance with the invention concept a subpackage is held with the cable then being inserted therein to a proper position. FIGURE 7 depicts this insertion. As can be discerned from FIGURE 7, the pin 18 of the connector assembly includes a hole in the end thereof and the transparent material of the package facilitates viewing the end of the center conductor to assure that it is properly inserted within the pin. The transparent material of the subpackage also permits a viewing of the end of the outer conductor 36 to assure that it is properly positioned over sleeve 14. In performing the insertion step of FIGURE 7, it has been found advisable, if the end of the braid is not even or contains strands which tend to catch on the package, to rotate the cable slightly as it is inserted. This has been found to enhance feeding of the cable into the package and into a proper position. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, and the particular arrangement of elements thus far de picted, the subpackage may then be positioned in a tool with dies brought down to crimp the center contact pin 18 to the center conductor in the manner shown in FIG- URE 8. Any suitable crimping means may be utilized to provide such crimp. The dies shown as D1 and D2 need only be driven together in relative closure to deform the material of the contact pin 18. During this crimping operation the subpackage provides a means of handling the elements without actually touching the elements or without having the operators fingers close to the dies. It is to be noted that at this time the various connector assembly elements are all properly positioned on the cable and that with the package concept of the invention the possibility of inadvertently leaving olf ferrule 22 or perhaps nut 20, is precluded.

With the package thus far detailed having a cable positioned therein with the center conductor crimped to the center pin of the connector, it is contemplated that the package may be then removed by removing the strips S1 and S2 and effecting the crimp of the ferrule 22 in a suitable tool.

As an alternative embodiment of the invention the package heretofore described may be given a configuration as depicted in FIGURES 9-12 which is somewhat similar in construction to that heretofore detailed with a different arrangement of connector assembly elements therein and a different positioning of such elements thereon. As can be discerned, the subpackage is comprised of two sheets S3 and S4, encapsulating an assembly shown as 10 with such assembly positioned relatively toward one edge of the subpackage. As shown in FIGURE 9, the nut 20 is positioned outboard of the ferrule 22 and entry into the subpackage is made, after removal of tab T, through the nut 20. FIGURE 10 shows a cable inserted within the subpackage. As shown in FIGURE 11, the upper sheetS3 includes a center tab section shown as CT which is removable to expose the center contact and outer crimping ferrule of the connector assembly. Sheet CT is preferably bonded to the left-hand edge of S3 so that when CT is removed the lower left-hand portion of S4 is also removed in the manner shown in FIGURE 11 to provide access to the portions of the assembly to be crimped. FIGURE 12 shows the assembly with dies D1 and D2 being brought down against the center contact pin and dies D3 and D4 being brought down against the ferrule 22. After crimping of the connector assembly element to the cable the remaining portions of the package may be peeled off of the elements.

FIGURES 13 and 14 show an alternative package construction including a pair of sheets S5 and S6 with a connector half mounted therein of a type having the center contact member separate from the connector body; for crimping prior to insertion within the connector body. The connector elements are otherwise similar to those previously described with respect to FIGURES l-12 and are similarly identified. In the embodiment of FIGURES 13 and 14 the connector body 12 is positioned forwardly with the nut 20 thereon. The outer crimping ferrule 22 is positioned slightly away from the end of the sleeve extension 14 and the center contact 18 is positioned adjacent the ferrule. The subpackage includes a tab portion T providing access to 18 and a separate indentation I extending across ferrule 22. In use the subpackage is separated as indicated in FIGURE 15 with the center contact then crimped through the package sheets to the stripped center conductor of a cable 30. Separation of the subpackage leaves the ferrule 22 exposed for insertion of the crimped center conductor. After crimping and removal of portions of the sheets S5 and S6 the contact may be inserted in the manner shown in FIGURE 16 with the ferrule 22 forced forwardly to surround the cable outer conductor. FIGURE 16 also shows ferrule 22 being crimped by dies D3 and D4 through the sheet material. As can be seen from FIG- URE 13, the subpackage includes an inner configuration to guide the cable braid during insertion into a proper surrounding position over the extension 14 of the connector body.

While the invention package has been detailed for use with readily available crimping tools applied from a free edge of a subpackage, it is contemplated that termination of cables may be made through crimping dies applied to a subpackage prior to removal from the strip; the strips of the package being left joined to serve as a carrier for machine feed of terminated connectors to at least an adjacent removal station. FIGURES 17 and 18 show sche matically a series of stations with various steps of assembly from a reeled supply to severing of mating halves of connectors left in a subpackage for later use. The package shown in FIGURE 17 is like that shown in FIGURES I 1-5. The package shown in FIGURE 18 is similar to that of FIGURES 1-5 but with the ferrule 22 displaced forwardly, as it may be in the center cables.

In the examples heretofore described, the outer crimping ferrule has been shown as initially displaced relative to a connector shell. With certain types of cables there is sufficient clearance between the ferrule inner diameter and the cable outer diameter to permit the ferrule to be disposed about a connector rear extension with the cable being inserted therein and with the outer ferrule directly crimped thereon. The package P serves in such event to funnel and guide the cable into the ferrule and over the connector rear extension. A package construction facilitating this arrangement of elements and operation is fully contemplated where the dimensions of assembled elements permits. FIGURE 18 shows a package P like that shown in FIGURES 2-5 with the ferrule 22 disposed forwardly surrounding the connector extension 14 of the connector shell 12 and with a cable inserted therein;

In FIGURE 17 a packageP is fed from a reel R under drive of a ratchet wheel RW to a station I where tabs are removed by a blade B and then to a station II where cables are inserted. At a station III the ferrule 22 is pushed forward as by a member C and then moved to a station IV where the assembly is crimped by dies D1, D2 and D3, D4. The package is then fed through a station serving to pull the reel through preceding stations with terminated assemblies then being removed. FIG- URE 18 depicts a similar arrangement for a package containing mating connector halves which are left, after severing, tied together for handling prior to use. The concept of the invention lends itself particularly to lead assembly operations by machine or by semiautomatic procedures.

Having now disclosed the invention in terms intended to enable a preferred practice thereof, claims are appended which define what is asserted as inventive.

What is claimed is:

1. In a package for multipart electrical connectors and the like a plurality of thin sheets having portions laminated together to captivate a plurality of separate connector elements of a connector assembly in a position to receive an electrical conductor inserted within elements of said assembly axially from one side of the package to facilitate insertion of a lead into such elements with at least portions of said package intact to facilitate handling of said elements during insertion of a lead therein.

2. The package of claim 1 wherein said sheets surround said elements to provide a sealing encapsulation thereof and said package includes means facilitating opening of a portion thereof proximate the axis of lead insertion.

3. The package of claim 2 wherein said elements are spaced each from the other and said sheets are formed to provide clearance for the insertion of a lead into the elements.

4. The package of claim 1 wherein at least portions of said package are transparent and said elements ar'e'spaced apart to permit viewing the insertion of the lead therein and said sheets are formed to provide access to the elements by a lead inserted therein.

5. The package of claim 1 wherein said sheets are of a relatively thin material having characteristics facilitating crimping of portions of said elements through the said sheets of material.

6. The package of claim 1 wherein means are provided to remove portions of at least one of said sheets to expose portions of said elements to facilitate crimping thereof by a direct die engagement With portions of said elements.

7. The package of claim 1 wherein at least certain of said elements are crimped and the said elements and said package includes means positioning said certain elements adjacent the edges of the package to facilitate crimping thereof while in said package.

8. The package of claim 1 wherein said sheets include means positioning said elements along a common axis.

9. The package of claim 1 wherein said connector assembly is a coaxial connector assembly including a center contact member adapted to be crimped to the center conductor of a coaxial cable and a crimping ferrule for crimping the outer conductor of a coaxial cable to a portion of the connector assembly with said elements being held in said package with the center contact member at one end of said package to facilitate positioning said member as retained in said package within crimping dies.

10. The package of claim 1 wherein said connector elements include at least two sets of elements defining connector halves with the elements of said halves separately axially aligned to each receive an electrical conductor inserted therein, and means providing separate access to each of said halves to permit termination of each of the halves with at least a portion of said package intact for handling said package.

' 11. In a package for connectors of a type having portions terminated to a cable or wire, means to provide a protective supporting and sealing encapsulation of a connector, said'means including a removable portion positioned relative to said package to provide access to an encapsulated connector for insertion of a cable or wire within said package and within said connector.

12. In a package for connectors of a type having a number of separate parts adapted to be assembled together and installed on a cable or wire and terminated thereto to provide a functional connection, means including a flexible strip with means secured thereto positioning said separate parts in a physical arrangement indicative of the assembled relationship and in order of use for installation onto'a cable or Wire for termination thereto.

13. The package of claim 12 wherein said package includes an additional strip secured to said first mentioned strip and said strips are of a material and have a configuration insertion of a cable or wire into the connector and termination thereto.

14. The package of claim 12 wherein said strips are of a material facilitating crimping of portions of the connector through the strips.

15. The package of claim 12 wherein said connector includes at least two parts each requiring termination to a cable'or wire and said package includes means facilitating a separation of said strip to permit the parts to be separately terminated Within a package portion.

"16. In a package for multielement connectors a plurality of-strips of sheet material sufiiciently flexible to permit reeling, a plurality of connector assemblies contained within said package between said strips, said strips being bonded together to hold said assemblies in a sealed sideby-side relationship with the elements thereof axially aligned and with the assemblies spaced apart to facilitate reeling of said strips containing said assemblies, at least one side of. said strip sheets including means to facilitate opening of said package for access to each assembly to permit the. insertion of a conductor within the elements of the assembly within the said sheets whereby to permit termination of a connector assembly by handling the said strip or a portion thereof.

17. The package of claim 16 wherein indentations or the like are included in said strips between each assembly to facilitate removal of one assembly from said strips.

18. The package of claim 16 wherein index holes are provided in said strips to facilitate machine handling of the package.

19. In a package for connectors and the type including a connector body and a separate crimping ferrule, a plurality of sheets of thin plastic material encapsulating and sealing the connector and crimping ferrule in a position to permit crimping of said ferrule, said package including an interior relief of a configuration to guide a cable inserted therein into engagement with the connector and within the ferrule and a portion adapted to be removed to permit cable insertion into said relief.

10 20. The package of claim 19 wherein said connector References Cited is a coaxial connector and the cable is a coaxial cable UNITED STATES PATENTS with the said ferrule being held in said package with the 3 331 497 7/1967 L f d 206 56 inboard end thereof spaced from the connector to permit 3372797 3/1968 206 56 viewing of the cable outer conductor as inserted with the 5 rev:

package in P p position for crimping- JAMES B. MARBERT, Primary Examiner. 

